Two young Jacksonians deceased after Sunday car crash, GoFundMe seeks assistance
Two of Jackson’s youth are deceased after a car crash on Sunday evening on Windy City Road at the intersection of McClellan Road.
A GoFundMe has since been created to raise funds for both funeral and medical expenses. The deceased were identified as Aaliyah Ayala, 21, and her boyfriend Connor White, 20.
Ayala’s sister and the third vehicle occupant, Brynlee Merriweather, 17, was airlifted to Regional One Hospital in Memphis where she remains in stable condition.
In a press release from the Jackson Police Department, officers arrived at the Aug. 4 scene and identified two vehicles at the southwest corner of the intersection.
In one vehicle, medical staff pronounced two of the three occupants deceased at the scene.
The driver was the sole occupant of the other vehicle and was taken for treatment at the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital.
Balloons start floating through the sky as family and friends reminisce during Aaliyah Ayala’s ballon release inside Pope Park, Jackson, Tenn., on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
In its initial investigation, JPD noted that potential negligence to abide by a traffic control device and failure to wear seatbelts, were contributing factors to the injuries. McClellan Road has stop signs at the Windy City Road intersection where through traffic has the right of way.
“This is a tragic reminder of the importance of using your safety belts and obeying all traffic control devices,” Deputy Chief Derick Tisdale wrote.
In the days following Sunday’s crash, Jackson Mayor Scott Conger took to social media to share the following intermediate solutions the city is implementing as a result:
rumble strips for McClellan Rd and Windy City Rd
flashing stop signs
flashing intersection warning signs
increased signage
vegetation removal and private property owners are instructed to cut back vegetation.
“The City of Jackson and Madison County are committed to finding solutions to prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future. We are dedicated to making our roads safer and ensuring the well-being of our community. We grieve with the families of the lives lost,” Conger wrote.
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How to help
On Go Fund Me, more than 75% of a $10,000 goal has been raised for the family in the two days since its creation.
“I couldn’t imagine having to plan one child’s funeral while your other child is in the hospital. We want to take this stress off of the family by coming together to help them,” Ellie Ramirez, the GoFundMe’s organizer, wrote.
A butterfly flys past a portrait of Aaliyah commemorating her 2013 championship softball team during Aaliyah Ayala’s ballon release inside Pope Park, Jackson, Tenn., on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
On Thursday evening during a vigil for Ayala, friends, family, and teammates gathered in the center of a softball field at H. Leroy Pope Park, where she grew up playing. They exchanged fond memories of softball stories before releasing neon balloons in the air in her honor.
Taylen Permenter grew up knowing Ayala through softball and the two eventually became best friends off the field. At Thursday’s vigil, which she organized, Permenter spoke affectionately about what Ayala was like.
“She would give you the shirt off your back or make anyone try to smile if she really felt like you were having a bad day,” she said.
“We have a very strong softball community here in Jackson where a lot of us grew up and played and all of our parents are friends, all of our families are friends, and me and Aaliyah specifically really grew outside of softball and became best of friends as adults and lived life together and enjoyed the many memories we had together.”
Another vigil is being held at Trinity Christian Academy at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
Sarah Best is a reporter for The Jackson Sun. To support local journalism, subscribe to the Daily Briefing here
This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Two Jacksonians are dead after a Sunday car crash, GoFundMe started
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